Machine for operating upon stitchdown shoes



MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON STITCHDOWN SHOES Dec. 31, 1940.` A l EEK ETAL 2,226,754

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON STITGHDOWN SHOES Filed March l5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. Z.

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4 31, 1940. A, C, EEK TAL l2,226,754

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON STITCHDOWN SHOES Filed March l5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 31, 1940, A. c. EEK Erm. '2,226,754

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON STITCHDOWN SHOES Filed March l5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 www/T5575 Mw K. 5% d 71H@ M "af/M? Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Albin C. Eek, Webster Groves and Edgar F. Huhn, Cape Girardeau, Mo., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation,

Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 15, 1940', Serial No. 324,160

20 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon the end portions of shoes, and is i1- lustrated as embodied in a machine for working the foreparts of stitchdown shoe uppers into 1 lasted position and for pressing outturned anges thereof against the projecting margins of soles. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with improvements for making machines of the type shown, for example, in Letters Patent 10 of the United States No. 1,861,832, granted lune '7, 1932, and No. 1,955,730, granted April 24, 1934, on applications of William C. Baxter, more convenient and easier to operate and more flexible in their adaptability to dilerent sized shoes, as well as for improving their operation in general. The herein illustrated embodiment is shown in connection with the construction disclosed in the latter patent. However, it is to be understood that the several features of this invention are of general utility in machines for working an upper over a last by a wiping operation.

Under some conditions the Operation of machines of this type is somewhat taxing to the operator, and the initial closing of the uppergripping means, to take hold of the upper materials prior to tripping the machine, is more or less awkward. This is due to the fact that in initially closing the upper-gripping meanstheheel abutment is also moved toward theshoe against the action of a return spring, and that in tripping the machine to initiate the power cycle a treadle rod spring, which must be strong enough to effect the aforesaid heel abutment movement,l is compressed.

An object of this invention is, therefore, to relieve the operator of some of the effort required for operating machines of this type and to facilitate the initial closing of the upper-gripping mechanism. With this object in view, an im- 40 portant feature of this invention consists in novel mechanism for closing the upper-gripping means on the outturned portions of the upper of a shoe and for initiating the power cycle of the machine without moving the heel abutment. The ar- 45 rangement is such that during the subsequent power cycle the heel abutment is moved to hold the shoe against end-embracing Wipers and the upper-gripping means are further operated by power.

In the machines illustrated in the Baxter patents, above mentioned, the upper-gripping means are arranged to grasp the outturned upper materials with a frictional grip and, as the toe portion of the shoe is moved upwardly through the wipers, are gradually moved to a position where they will not interfere with the wipers when the upper materials are compressed against the extension of the outsole. During this movement of the gripping means, the upper material slips through the gripping means and eventually is entirely withdrawn therefrom. If the rupper materials extend unequally on opposite sides 0f the toe portion of the shoe, as sometimes happens, they. may be released from the gripping means on one side of the shoe While they are still held by the gripping means on the opposite side. 'I'his results in an uneven pulling of the upper materials over the last.

Another object of this invention is, therefore, to

avoid the difculty just mentioned and to insure 15 l that the upper materials will be evenly pulled down on the last and properly tensioned during the wiping operation. Accordingly, a further feature of this invention consists in the provision of upper-gripping means arranged to grasp positively and hold securely the outturned upper materials together with adjustable mechanism operable, preferably upon movement of the gripping means away from the shoe, to open all of the gripping means at the same time for releasing theupper materials at all points around the toe portion of the shoe simultaneously so that unequal pulling of the upper materials over the last is avoided. The construction is such that, by appropriately varying the time of releasing the upper materials, the amount of pull exerted by the gripping means on the upper materials may be nicely controlled.

It is also an object of this vinvention to make machines of the aforementioned type more readily adaptable for operating upon shoes of wide1y` varying sizes. In accordance with this object there is provided, as a further feature of this invention, means for mounting the upper-gripping devices for longitudinal adjustment in the machine in such a manner that the position of the upper-gripping devices longitudinally of the shoe may be readily varied without, however, altering their position in a direction toward or away from the Shoe.

'Ihese and other features of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the major part of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts 55 omitted and others broken away to show elements of the upper-gripping mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the elements on one side of the machine only and at an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the upper-gripping mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the machine with certain parts omitted or broken away and others shown in section substantially on lines V-V of Fig. 2; andl Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of one of the upper-gripping devices.

In the drawings, the machine is illustrated as operating upon a stitchdownv shoe which, when completed, will have three soles, but it isto be understood that the machineV i's equally well' adapted for use on other types of stitchdown shoes. At the time the toe-lasting operation is performed, the shoe comprises an insole a, a middle or rst extension sole b secured to a last cfonwhich` are assembled an upper d and a lininge.; The lining e is represented as having been wiped 'in Land Ysecured to the insole by cement prior to `the attachmentttothelast. of a middle sole b. The .shoeis also provided with a stiffener or box .f inserted between. the upper and the lining- In accordance with the usual Shoemakingi'practice, the .upper .and lining have been pulled over and secured temporarily to the insole by partially driven tacksbefore Athe middle .sole was applied, the shoe being allowedto remain, in this condition until the upper `has set upon the last; Before being presented to this machine the temporary tacks are pulled, the lining secured to the insole, and the middle sole b attached to the last bottom. .L

Tofacilitate an understandingof the following detailed description of the machineherein illustratedits general organization and manner of operating will be first briefly outlined.. The shoe is placed by the operator. on an upwardly moving head assembly, which includes a shoe-.supporting plate 40 for the forepart of the shoe and aV 1ongitudinally-movable back stop or heel abutment 98.,v The projecting margin ofthe upper material is' positioned by the operatonwithin upper-gripping means,1to` be more particularly described below, which are arranged to grasp the forepart of the upper material.4 During the upward movement ofthe head, which is initiated by depressing a treadle' 34, the forepart of the shoe is moved heightwise relatively to a pair of4 end-embracing wipers and the upper wiped thereby into'accurate conformity to the-forepart of the last, being tensioned during at least the early part of this wip# ing action by means of the upper-gripping means which are arranged to release the upper at a predetermined point in the wiping action. Before the shoe-supporting plate reaches the limit of its upward movement the upper-gripping Vmeans have been withdrawn beyond the limits of the extension sole b and the upper material is tucked under .the-edge of the last by an advancing and closing movement of the wipers. The upper material is now held betweenthe lower surface of thewipers and the upper surface lof the extension Asole and a further upward movement is now imparted'to the ,head so as to apply a molding pressure .to the outturned margin of theupper, pressing and molding it tothe projecting margin of the extension sole and into the vertex of the angle between the sole and the side of the last, .the machine4 coming to rest with the work under `this molding pressure;

Preferably, as in the machines of said lprior patents, the present machine is duplex in type and the operating instrumentalities above described constitute only one side or unit thereof. When this unit is brought to rest with the shoe under pressure, a second shoe may be similarly treated in theother unit of the machine while the first shoe remains under pressure. In order to release the shoe, the operator again depresses the treadle 34, whereupon the parts are restored to initial position, the abutment 98 being pulled outwardly by the action of springs to open a space at the rear end of the shoe. Thus, ample clearance is provided for removal of the shoe and for the introduction 'of another shoe of the same size without any adjustments being made.

Proceeding' no'w to a deta-iled description of the illustrated machine, elements which are common thereto and to the machine shown in the aforementioned Baxter Patent No. 1,955,730, will be described only generally, and reference may be had to said patent for a more complete and detailed description of these elements and their mode of operation. The operating instrumentalities of this machine are mounted on a frame l0 in which is journaled a shaft l2 carrying a clutch disk I6 (see Fig. l). Cooperating with a .stop projection l1 on the clutch disk is a stop lever 22 pivoted to the frame at.2,4 and provided with a tripping pin 26. A vertical tripping bar 28 is connected to a treadle 34Land the arrangement of theseparts is such that upon final depression of the treadle :the stop lever is moved away from the stop projection and theA clutch disk'permitted to turn through onehalf of arr-evolution. The clutch mechanism associated with plate I6smay be substantially that disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,674,- 085,1granted June 19, 1928, on an application of Ballard and Seely, to .which reference may be had for further explanation of this part of the machine.

The shoe-supporting plate 40 is mounted on the top. of a head 42 which isin turn supported on a shaft 46 journaled in the frame for upward sliding movement therein. At its lower end this shaft is slotted to` receive a sliding. block 48 held in place by a 'strap 50 and secured to a toggle link52. A second toggle link 54, connected to an adjustable and yielding support, not shown, is piwoted to the link 52 and with it to a cam bar 56. The'cam bar carries a roller 58 riding in a cam track 60 in the clutchdisk. Upon revolution of the clutch disk, as above described, the cam bai` is moved vto the right, as viewed in Fig. 1,thus straightening the `toggle formed by links 52 and 54 and elevating the shaft `46 and-shoe-supporting-plate 40 carried thereby.

Extending from the head 42 are side plates 52, connected at theirouter ends by a cross bar 55, and pivoted between theseside platesat 69 isan upstanding rocker member `(i8 carrying' `a cross pin 'l0 andhavinga head I4 swiveled thereto. Hinged ,to this head on a pinl Ib1 are spaced arms 1 8' of a bedlpiece 8 0. T he bedfpiece extends forwardly from the rocker and has mounted thereon a slide 84 provided with a quick adjustmentlatcn`85 and a clamping screw 88. y`The bed piece is supported on the swiveled head 82 of va l'screw 83 carried by the cross bar 65 so that it may be Vangularly `adjusted about the pin 16 and VAalso may have lateral swinging movement on the s wiveled head 82. The, heel abutment 98 is slidable in the slide 84 and is provided with a split nut (not shown) for engaging an adjusting screw operating lever I 2.

respect to the heel end of the shoe the toeportion of which is to be shaped by the machine. Upon release of the operating handle, a spring means (not shown) brings the half nut into operating engagement with the adjustingscrew (not shown) and nner adjustment of the position of; the heel abutment on the sl-ide may be made by means of the hand wheel 89. l

A link |00 connects the rocker member 66 to one end of a lever |08 which is resiliently connected by a yieldable link |Ii| to one end of an otally connected at I lll to downwardly extending links II 6 carried by a bracket ||8 and also is pivotally connected to the shaft 26 at |5. When the shaft 46 is moved upwardly by the straightening of the toggle formed by the links 52 and 54, as previously explained, the operating lever, ||2 is rotated on its pivot I M in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, and, as a result vof this rotation, the rocker member 68 is turnedin a counterclockwise direction and the heel abutment is first moved to the left to take up the initial clearance and then yieldingly urged against the heel of the shoe through the action of the yieldable link I0. A spring l2, connected to the cross pin 'l0 carried by the rocker member, operates to return these parts to their original positions in a second cycle of operation of the machine, during which the lever I i2 is turned back to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Wiper members 202 are securedto wiper carriers 204 mounted ina wiper head 208 which is supported on the frame I0 by standards 256. A cover plate 2|@ is positioned over the wiper carriers, and mechanism (not shown) is provided to connect the wiper carriers and their wipers to a wiper-operating lever 228. Blocks 2|2 are carried by the cover to provide support for front portions of the wipers. The wiper-operating lever 236 is pivoted at 246 to the frame and is provided with a roller (not shown) for engaging an operating projection on the clutch disk i6. The operation of the wipers, whereby they partake of an advancing and closing movement at a certain point in the operation of the machine, is the same as thatv of the machines shown in the aforementioned Baxter patents and need not be further described. A toe pad 252 is provided to hold the upper material closely against the upper 2 part of the toe portion of the last during the wiping operation.

Turning now to a consideration of the upper-- gripping means with which the present invention is more particularly concerned, the operating lever I2 is provided at its left-hand end with an upwardly extending slot 305 which receives trunnion pins 3|@ carried by two blocks |22. Slidably mounted in vthese blocks are two upwardly extending rods 52d (see Fig. 5) which are urged upwardly through the blocks |22 by springs |30 operating against adjusting nuts |20. Stop nuts |26 are provided to limit the upward movement of these rods.

The rods |213 extend upwardly throughopenings in the frame and are secured to a horseshoe-shaped member |52 through which they project. The projecting portions |32 of these rods are iiattened (see Figs. 2 and 4), and bear against projections v|50 of the head 42. Resting on the horseshoe member, which is provided withA The operating lever is piv-I a stop screw |46, are shafts I 52 journaled in supporting brackets |50. At their upper ends the shafts |52 are provided with arms |54 having extensions |55 to which upper-gripping means are secured. The upper-gripping means in the herein illustrated machine each consists of a lower jaw |58, xed to arm |54, and an upper jaw which is urged away from the lower jaw by a tension :spring |62 (see. Figs. 4 and 6). The horseshoe member |32 is movable upwardly and such upward movement causes the shafts |52 to slide through their supporting brackets |50and to close the pincer jaws |60 and |58 by engagement of the former against the lower surfaces of the wipers 202. It will be observed that the lever ||2 serves as a connecting means or linkage means which operates through springs |36 to elevate the rods |22 and velement I 32 to exert a closing force on the gripping means during the power cycle. The slot 308 provides a lost motion connection affording overtravel for the rods |24 with respect to the lever I I2 so that the gripping means can be initially closed by mechanism to be presently described.

Pnned to each of the gripper-operating shafts |52 are arms |64 each carrying a swiveled block |66 in which is pivoted one end of a threaded rod |68. Threaded on the rods |68 are adjusting sleeves |10 which at their opposite ends are also threaded to rods |69. The rods |68 and |69 are lprovided with rightand left-hand threads, respectively, so that on turning of thev sleeves |10 the links thus'formed may be shortened or lengthened. These links (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4), are swiveled to the outer ends I'I2 of a crossbar |74 which passes through forwardly extending portions of the ilattened extensions I 34 of the rods |24. `Also connected to the bar |14 is a rod |18 (see Fig. 1) which is pivoted to the upper end of a lever |80 journaled at 250 on the frame .and carrying at its lower end a cam roller |82 cooperating with a cam |84 secured to the clutch disk I6. On rotation of the clutch disk the lever |80 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, thus moving the bar |14 rearwardly of the Inachine and operating through the linksformed by thev screw-threaded elements |69 and |68 to swing the pincer jaws |60 and |58 outwardly away from the shoe to exert a pull on the upper materials gripped thereby and to bring the pincers into a position to clear the extension sole b.

The mechanism for elevating the horseshoeshaped member |32 to initially close the pincers will now be described. Journaled at 354 on an extension 302 of the bracket I8 is a lever 360 which is connected to a treadle rod |20 .and at its opposite end 306 engages one arm of the horseshoe-shaped member |32 (see Figs. 1 and 4). At its lower end the treadle rod |26 passes through the treadle 34 (shown in part) and is connected thereto by a spring The spring |64 is of just sufficient strength to overcome the opening force of the pincer springs |62 and permit the operator to close the pincers on the upper material with a fair degree of tightness by lifting the horseshoe-shaped member |32 bodily. During this preliminary depression of the treadle to close the pincers the rods |24 are raised and trunnion pins 3|0 ride up in the slot 300. None of the other operating instrumentalities of the machine are moved, however, and hence there is no resistance to` this treadle movement except that caused by the closing of the pincers on the upper material. Thus, there is no interference with the operation of closing the upper-gripping means and the operator can more or less feel the gripping action of the pincers as he closes them on the upper material. On further treadle depression, after the pincers have been brought into a preliminary gripping position, the spring |64' yields further, and enough to cause a tripping of the clutch by taking up the lost motion between the rod 28 and the pin 26, whereby the power cycle of the machine is initiated. As this spring is relatively light, tripping is accomplished with very little eiort on the part of the operator. During the power cycle the lever I|2 is turned in a clockwise direction to bring the heel abutment 98 against the shoe and to pick up the blocks |22 to apply a closing force to the pincers through the springs |30.

In the illustrated machine only two sets of pincers or upper-gripping means are shown and these are arranged at opposite sides of the toe portion of the shoe. However, it is to be understood that another pair of pincer sets may be mounted on the extended portions |34 .adjacent the'front of the toe portion of the shoe in the manner disclosed in the aforementioned Baxter patents. When `such toe pincers are used they are closed by the elevation of the horseshoe member |32, and are withdrawn fromvtheV shoe, and into a position to clear the extensionsole, by the rod |18 which is connected to the extended portions l34. The movement'of the pincers or upper-gripping means in the present machine to tension the upper materials during the wiping action is, therefore, essentially the same as in the previously mentioned Baxter constructions. However, in the present construction the pincers are provided with' teeth |5| of such a character as to positively grip the upper material so that no slippage can occur, and provision is made for opening the pincers to release the upper material .at a predetermined point in the operation of the machine. The means for opening the pincers will now be described.

The extensions |34 are slotted at 3|1 .and mounted thereon for vertical adjustment are plates 3|6, secured in adjusted position by bolts 3|5 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). Slidable horizontally on the upper ends of these plates .are carn elements 3|8 slotted at 32| and held in adjusted position by bolts 3|9. Roller supports 3|2 carry ing rollers 3|4 are secured in the lower surface of the wiper head 208 l(see Fig. 4) in position to engage the beveled edges 3|3 of the cam elements 3|8 as the horseshoe-shaped memberY |32 is moved to the left or rearwardly by the rod |18 during the upward movement of the shoe through the wipers 202. By suitable adjustment of the position of the cam elements 3|8, both vertically and longitudinally, the pincers |60 and |58 may be made to open to release the upper material at any desired point in the 4upward movement of the shoe through the wipers. Thus, since the upper material is positively gripped by the pincers during the upward movement of the shoe-supporting plate 40, bysuitable timing of the release of the upper material, any desired amount of tension can be applied to the upper material during the wiping action, and, aslthe upper material is simultaneously releasedat all points around the toeportion of the shoe the possibility of unequal pulling of the two sides of the upper over the last is obviated.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the supporting brackets |50, which carry the pincers .|50 and |58, are adjustably` mounted onv the head -42 in the following manner. The upper and lower portions of each supporting bracket |50 are provided with vertically extending ribs 326 which are adapted tobe positioned in any one of a plurality of vertically extending and corresponding grooves 324 provided in the upper and lower 5 parts of plates 320 secured to opposite sides of the head 42 by screws 322. The supporting brackets |50'are clamped against the head by means of bolts 330 arranged in an extended portion 328 which is slotted to permit each supporting 10 bracket |50 to be positioned with its ribs 326 in any one of the grooves 324. When it is desired to move the pincers` to adapt the machine for operating on smaller sized shoes the bolts 330 are released and the supporting members |50 15 `moved to place their ribs 326 in the appropriategrooves 324. This, of course, results in swinging the pincers 'carried by the arm |64 inwardly. However, by suitable adjustment of the sleeves |10 the pincers can be returned to their proper 20 position widthwise of the shoe to accommodate their new location.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping the end portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination with end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier re1atively movable with respect to the wipers for presenting a shoe thereto, means for gripping out- 30 turned portions of the upper of a shoe, and power means for moving said carrier and operating said gripping means, of means for closing said gripping means on said outturned portions of the upper operable independently of the operation of 35 said gripper-operating means.

2. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdownshoe to its last, the combination with end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to the wipers for presenting a shoe thereto, abutment means movable into engagement with the heel portion of the shoe to hold it yieldingly against the wipers, means for gripping outturned portions of the upper of a shoe, and power means for operating said carrier, 45 said abutment means and said gripping means, of means for closing said gripping means on said outturned portions of the upper operable without moving said abutment means.

3. In a machine for shaping the end portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination with end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable vvith respect to the wipers for presenting a shoe thereto, means for gripping outturned portions of the upper of a shoe, and power means for moving said carrier to pass the end portion of said shoe through the wipers and for applying a closing force to said gripping means, of means for closing said gripping means and a lost-motion connection between said power means and said gripping means constructed and arranged to permit closing of said gripping means on said outturned portions of theupper prior to the operation of said power means.

4. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last in combination with end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to the wipers for presenting a shoe thereto, abutment means movable into engagement with the heel portion of the shoe to hold it yieldingly against the wipers, means for gripping outturned portions of the upper of a shoe, and power means for moving said carrier to pass the toe portion of said shoe through said wipers operable to move said abutment means `Into shoe-engaging position and to apply a closing force to said' gripping means, of means for closing said gripping means and a lost-motion connectionbetw'een said power means and said gripping means constructed and arranged to permit closing of said gripping means on said outturned portions of said upper prior to the operation of said power means.

5. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end-embracing wipers,` a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to said wipers for presenting the toe portion of a shoe thereto, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper of said shoe adjacent its toe portion and for tensioning said upper during at least a portion of the period of operation of said wipers, connecting means operable upon movement of said carrier to exert a closing force on said gripping means, power means for moving said carrier and for operating said connecting means, and means operable independently of said connecting means for closing said gripping means on said outturned portions of the upper.

6. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to said wipers for presenting the toe portion of a shoe thereto,

abutment means movable into engagement with the heel part of the shoe for holdingV said shoe yieldingly against said wipers, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper of said shoe adjacent its toe portion and for tensioning said upper during at least a portion of the period of operation of said wipers, connecting means operable upon movement of said carrier to hold said abutment yieldingly against the heel portion of said shoe and to exert a closing force on said gripping means, power means for moving said carrier and for operating said connecting means, and means operable independently of said connecting means for closing said gripping means on said outturnedportions of the upper.

7 In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to said wipers for presenting the toe portion of a shoe thereto, abutment means movable into engagement with the heel portion of the shoe for holding said shoe yieldingly against said wipers, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper of said shoe adjacent its toe portion and for tensioning r said upper during at least a portion of the period of operation of said wipers, connecting means operable upon movement of said carrier to hold said abutment yieldingly against the heel portion of said shoe and to exert a closing force on said gripping means, power means for moving said carrier and for operating said connecting means', means operable independently of said connecting means for closing said gripping means on said outturned portions of the upper, and means associated with said independently operable means for initiating action of said power means after said gripping means have been closed.

8. In a machine for shaping the toe portions of stitchdown shoes to their lasts comprising endembracing wipers, a shoe carrier, means for gripping outturned portions of the upper adjacent the toe portion of a shoe, and power means for operating said carrier and said gripping means, the combination of an element movable to close said gripping means, yieldable means connecting rre said element to said power vmeans so ythat said element will be moved by said power means to close said gripping means, said yieldable means being arranged to permit an over-travel of said element in a direction to. close said gripping means prior to the operation of said power means, and means for moving said element in the direction of said over-travel to close said gripping means.

9. In a machine for shaping the toe portions of stitchdown shoes to their lasts comprising 'endembracing wipers, a' shoe carrier, means for gripping outturned 'portions of the upper ad'- jacent the toe portion of a shoe, a ryieldable abutment for. said shoe to hold its toe portion against said wipers, and power means for operating said carrier, said gripping means and said abutment means, thecombination of an element movable to close said gripping means, yieldable means connecting said element to' said lpower means so'that said element will be moved by said power means to close said gripping means, said yieldable means-being arranged vto` permit an over-travel of said element in a direction to close said gripping means prior to theoperation of said 'power means, and means for moving said element in the direction of said over-travel to close said gripping means.

l0. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, in combination, a frame, end-engaging wipers mounted on said frame, supporting means movable heightwise to present the toe portion of a shoe to said wipers, an abutment movable into engagement with the shoe to hold it yieldingly against said wipers, operating means for moving said supporting means and said abutment, gripping means cooperating with said wipers `for grasping the outturned upper of said shoe adjacent its toe portion, linkage means associated with said operating means for exerting a closing force on said grippingmeans vand for moving said abutn ment when said supporting means is moved, and means for moving said gripping means to closed position on said outturned upper independently of, and in advance of, said linkage means prior to the operation of' said operating means, said linkage means being constructed and arranged to pick up said gripping means uponl movement of said supporting means by said operating means.

ll. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of a frame, end-embracing wipers mounted on said frame, a shoe carrier relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for presenting the toe portion of a shoe thereto, abutment means movable into engagement with the heel of said shoe for holding said toe portion yieldingly against said wipers, said carrier comprising a projecting member, power means connected to said projecting member for moving said carriena lever pivoted to said frame and to said projecting member and yieldingly connected to said abutment so that upon movement of said projecting member by said power means said abutment is moved into yielding engagement with the heel portion of said shoe, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper of said ,movement of said carrier by said power means,

andmeans for closing said gripping means independently of said lever.

12. In a machine for shaping the end portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of a frame, end-embracing wipers mounted on said frame, a shoe carrier relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for presenting the end portion of a shoe thereto, abutment means movable into engagement with said shoe for holding it yieldingly against said wipers, said carrier comprising a projecting member, power means connected to said projecting memberformoving said carrier, a lever pivoted to said frame and to said member and yieldingly connected to said abutment so that upon movement of said projecting member by said power means said abutment is moved into yielding engagement with the shoe, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper of said shoe including means having a yieldable connection with said lever, said connection being constructed and arranged to provide for overtravel of said gripping means in a closing direction prior to the movement of said lever and to allow said arm to pick up said element and exert a closing force on said gripping means upon movement of said carrier by said power means, andmeans for closing said gripping means independently of said lever, said last-named means being operable to initiate the operation of said power means after said gripping means have been closed.

13. In a machine for shaping the end portion of a shoe to its last, the combination with end embracing wipers, and a shoe carrier relatively movable with respect to said wipers forV wiping the end portion of the upper over the last, of means for positively gripping portions of the -upper of ra shoe adjacent said end portion to tension the upper during said relative movement of said carrier, and means for releasing said gripping means at a predetermined point in its tensioning action.

14. In a machine vfor shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for wiping the end portion of the shoe upper over the last, means for taking hold of outturned portions oi the upper adjacent the toe portion of the shoe to tension the upper materials on the last during said wiping of the upper, and means for simultaneously releasing said outturned upper portions at a predetermined point in the wiping of the upper.

15. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for wiping the end portion of the shoe upper over the last, means for positively gripping outturned portions of the upper adjacent the toe portion of said shoe to tension the upper material on the last during the wiping of the upper, and means for simultaneously releasing said outturned upper portions at a predetermined point in the wiping of the upper.

` 16. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end embracing wipers, a shoe carrier relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for wiping the toe portion of the shoe upper over the last, means for taking hold of outturned portions of the upper materials adjacent said toe -portion of theshoe to tension the upper on the last during said wiping of the upper, said means comprising gripping devices arranged on each side of said carrier, means for effecting movement of said gripping devices away from the shoe during said relative heightwise movement of said carrier to exert a pull on the upper materials, and means operable to open said gripping devices simultaneously after a predetermined amount of movement thereof.

17. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end embracing wipers, a shoe carrier including a sole supporting plate and relatively movable `heightwise with respect to said wipers for wiping the toe portion of the shoe upper to its last, upper-gripping means positioned on opposite sides of the carrier adjacent to said sole supporting plate and arranged upon closing to positively graspV outturned portions of the upper to tension the upper materials during the wiping of said upper toits last, means for closing said gripping means on said'outturned portions prior to the initiation of said relative heightwise movement, and means for opening said gripping means to release said outturned portions simultaneously after a predetermined tension has been applied tothe upper materials.

18. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of Vend embracing wipers, wiper supporting means, a shoe carrier including a sole-supporting plate and relatively movable heightwise with respect to said wipers for wiping the toe portion of the shoe upper to its last, upper-gripping means positioned on opposite sides of the carrier adjacent to said sole-supporting plate and arranged upon closing to positively grasp outturned portions of the upper during the wiping of said upper to its last, means for closing said gripping means prior to the initiation of said relative heightwise movement, means for moving said gripping means away from said toe portion during said relative heightwise movement to tension the upper materials on the last during the action of said wipers, and means carried by said wiper-supporting means and adapted to engage portions oi said gripping means during movement of said grippingmeans away from said toe portion for opening said gripping means to release said outturned upper portions simultaneously after a predetermined tension has been applied to the upper materials. l

19. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end-embracing wipers, a shoe support movable heightwise of the shoe relative to the wipers, gripping means for grasping outturned portions of the upper at opposite points on each side of the shoe to tension the upper on the last during said relative heightwise movement of the support, and means for varying the position of said gripping means lengthwise of the machine.

20. In a machine for shaping the toe portion of a stitchdown shoe to its last, the combination of end-embracing wipers, a shoe carrier movable heightwise of the shoe relative to the wipers for wiping the upper to the last, power means for moving 'said carrier, means for grasping and exerting a pull on outturned portions of the upper adjacent opposite points on the side of the shoe during said wiping of the upper, said means comprising upper-gripping devices arranged on each side of the shoe and mounted on the carrier,

the shoe, said connecting means being. constructed and arranged so that the sidewise position of said gripping devices can be maintained during said lengthwise adjustment thereof.

LBN C. EEK. EDGAR F. HUHN. 

